Page 144

141

The icicles hang from the eaves of the Ice foot
giving it a very picturesque base of pure
white colums and as they continue under
the roof of the ice, they lose themselves in the
distance, like, the gradually shaded pillars
of a portico. This effect throughout a
continued face of two miles is very impressive.

Morton is doubtless making a hard
trial to track out the Esquimaux. These
visits, even when unsuccessful as to fresh
meat, are of value to us, as they keep
the natives in wholesome respect for us.
They are evidently much impressed by
our physical prowess, and we are so
aware of this that, we carefully conceal
from them either cold or fatigue when
travelling together. I could not help
being amused, although it was no laughing
matter, at Myosu, an Esquimaux four
times the man that I was, hooking
on to my arm for support. This was
on one of my dog [trot?] journeys to
Anatok, and I had been walking for
30 miles ahead of the sledge. As it
would not do to confess my frailities - I
had to bear the wretch, tired as I was,
nearly to the land ice.

Wednes. Oct. 19

Our black dog Erebus returned
to the brig, he had probably been
released by Morton or broke loose.

The sun at meridian no
longer reaches our brig his beams give
a warm yellow to the N.E. heartlands
on their southern faces far into the fiord.
This and Sylvia Head are our only
remnants of the dying day. Far out
upon the floes we have the pinnacles

141

The icicles hang from the eaves of the [Seaport?]
giving it a very picturesque base of pure
white [colums?] and as they continue under
the roof of the ice, they [core?] themselves in the
distance, like, the gradually shaded pillars
of a portico. This effect throughout a
continued face of two miles is very impressive.

Morton is doubtless making a hard
trial to hack out the Esquimaux. These
visits, even when unsuccessful as to fresh
meat, are of value to us, as they keep
the natives in wholesome respect for us.
They are evidently much impressed by
our physical prowess, and we are so
aware of this that, we carefully conceal
from them either cold or fatigue when
travelling together. I could not help
being amused, although it was no laughing
matter, at Myosu, an Esquimaux four
times the man that I was, hooking
on to my arm for support. This was
on one of my dog [trot?] journeys to
Anatok, and I had been walking for
30 miles ahead of the sledge. As it
would not do to confess my [?], I
had to bear the wretch, tired as I was,
nearly to the land ice.

Wednes. Oct. 19

Our black dog [?] returned
to the brig, he had probably been
released by Morton or broke loose.

The sun at meridian no
longer reaches our brig his beams give
a warm yellow to the N.E. heartlands
on their southern faces [?] into the fiord.
This and [Sylvia?] head are our only
remnants of the dying day. Far out
upon the floes we have the pinnacles